Defeat won't derail Sheffield boxer's ambitions
Samantha Lightfoot lost to Billy Jarmolinski at the weekend
Sheffield fighter Samantha Lightfoot will bounce back after losing her unbeaten record - and may get another chance to win the belt that has just eluded her.
That is the view of Gary Mundy, the coach who guided Billy Jarmolinski to victory over Sam last Saturday at Doncaster Dome.
Jarmolinski won the Central Area bantamweight title after outpointing the Manor Boxing Academy fighter by a score of 96-94.
There had been some bad blood before the fight, but the pair clearly held each other in high esteem after the final bell.
Mundy told The Star: "Samantha will bounce back, for sure.
"One of the questions we had about her before the fight was whether she would be able to stay with Billy for 10 rounds and she did that 100 per cent.
"I wouldn't be surprised if further down the line the pair of them ended up doing this again.
"I have a lot of respect for Samantha and so does Billy."
Mundy believes Jarmolinski has arguably become the most entertaining and potentially explosive female boxer on the South Yorkshire small-hall scene.
"People want to see wars and 10 rounds of action and that is what Billy brings.
"I thought Sam won the first two rounds, possibly three, last Saturday, and I had to tell her in the corner to get her head on Sam's chest.
"I think she probably won the next six rounds after that before the final one that was very close.
"I have had loads of messages, people loved watching the fight."
Billy, from Bentley, could now face Laura Pain, from Surrey, in a British title contest.
Meanwhile, Sam, who lives in Sheffield city centre says she has not been put off by her first professional defeat.
"I'll tell you one thing - this is my sport and I’m not done" she posted.
"People glorify unbeaten records too much these days. I'd rather go through the trenches and give my all and learn from it, it builds character and you can’t buy that anywhere."
She thanked her coach, Roger Sampson, and the rest of her corner team, describing them as her heroes.